Tongue-iron.



PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

L. G. SPIES.

TONGUE IRON.

APPLICATION nun MAR. 29, 1901. 1

Laaisfi 3 mgm Wi hi use:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS G. SPIES, OF TRENTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY MUELLER, OF TRENTON, ILLINOIS.

TONGUE-IRON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed March 29,1907- Serial No. 365,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs G. SPIEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Clinton and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tongue-Irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to improvements in vehicle tongues, and particularly to tongueirons or metallic hounds to which the tongues or poles are attached, one of the objects of the invention being to provide a simple, strong and durable device of this character wherein the parts are securely tied and braced and provision made for the ready disconnection of a broken tongue, and another object is to provide an improved construction of hammer-strap and means for connecting the same with the iron and double-tree.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tongue and the improved tongue-iron. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the shank of the iron, which may be either solid or tubular, and is provided with a socket 2 for the reception of a tenon 3 upon the rear end of the tongue 4. A bolt 5 is provided to fasten the tenon in position in such manner as to readily admit of the removal of a broken or worn out pole and the substitution of a new pole therefor. I

Formed integral with the rear of the shank are arms or hounds 6 which. diverge rearwardly and incline downwardly in the usual manner and are provided at their rear ends with eyes 7 for pivotal connection with the front axle. These arms are braced about midway of their length by a transverse brace or stay 8, which may be integral with the arms or Welded thereto, as desired. It will be understood that the arms 6 may be either solid or tubular, as occasion may demand.

Arranged in the V-space between the rear end of the shank and the front ends of the arms is a brace piece 9, having a perforation 10 for the downward passage therethrough of the rear end of a hammer strap 11, shown in the form of a bar or rod or stout piece'of wire of sufficient gage and strength. This strap extends at an upward and forward angle over the rear end of the shank and has its'rear end 12 bent at an angle to lie vertically and passed through the opening 10 in the brace piece 9 and threaded for the reception of a nut 13 bearing against the under side of the brace piece to maintain the rear end of the strap in applied position. The forward end of the strap is coiled to form an eye 14 engaging the upper end of the shank of a pivot bolt 15 upon which the doubletree 16 is mounted in the usual way, the lower end of the bolt being provided with a securing nut 17. The bolt passes upward through the shank and double-tree and has its headarranged to bear against the eye 14 to hold the forward end of the strap in applied position.

The construction described provides a simple, strong and durable type of tongue-iron which is comparatively light in weight and may be economically manufactured. If from any cause the tongue 4 should break, or in the event of its becoming unserviceable for any other reason, upon removing the bolt 5 such tongue may be conveniently detached and another applied in its place. Eyes 18 are formed or provided upon the arms 6 for the attachment to the iron of the usual bracing straps 19 extending from the ends of the doubletree.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A metallic tongue-iron comprising a shank provided at its rear with diverging; arms, and at its point of junction with said arms with a connecting brace piece having an opening for the connection therewith of the rear end of a hammer strap.

2. A metallic tongueiron comprising a shank provided at its rear end with diverging arms, a transverse brace connecting the arms substantially midway of their length, and a brace piece arranged at the, point of junction of the shank with the arms and provided with an opening for the passage of the rear end of a hammer strap.

3. In a vehicle tongue-connection, the combination of a tongue-iron comprising a shank having diverging arms at the rear end thereof and a brace piece at the point of junction with said arms, a double-tree, a bolt passing through the shank and pivotally connecting the doubletree therewith, a hammer strap comprising a rod provided at its forward end with an eye held by the head of the bolt and provided with a rearwardly bent end passing downward through said brace piece, and a nut upon said end bearing against the brace piece to hold the said rear end of the hammer strap in connection therewith.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS G. SPIES.

Witnesses FRED MUELLER, JOHN RODMANN. a 

